It’s been a mostly happy soirée in the desert for the San Francisco Giants this spring. They won the Cactus League, primarily on the back of encouraging performances from nearly all of their regulars, all while establishing an identity and staying mostly healthy. That final point took a fairly big hit on Friday, though, when fourth outfielder/backup first baseman/designated hitter/destroyer of baseballs Jerar Encarnación fractured his left hand while diving for a ball, and will miss 4-6 weeks.
Needless to say, it’s a brutal turn of events for Encarnación. And it’s a double dose of misfortune for the Giants: not only are they losing a player they were counting on for middle-of-the-order production, but they’re missing out on a critical period to evaluate Encarnación while other youngsters develop further in AAA.